London's Pulse: Medical Officer of Health reports 1848-1972
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Hints from the Health Department. Leaflet from the archive of the Society of Medical Officers of Health. Credit: Wellcome Collection, London
Whitechapel 1857
[Report of the Medical Officer of Health for Whitechapel]
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TABLE XII.— Inquests.
| Districts. | No. | Found Dead. | Natural Death. | Burns and Scalds. | Violence | Poison | Suffocation and Drowning. | Hanging. | Starvation. |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Artillery | 0 | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - |
| Spitalfields | 6 | 2 | I | 1 | 1 | — | 1 | — | — |
| Mile End New Town | 1 | — | 1 | - | - | - | - | - | - |
| Whitechapel, North | 3 | 1 | 1 | — | — | — | 1 | — | — |
| Whitechapel Church | 43 | — | 3 | 12 | 25 | 2 | — | 1 | — |
| Goodman's Fields | 2 | — | 1 | — | — | — | — | 1 | — |
| Aldgate | 2 | — | — | — | 1 | — | — | — | 1 |
| Total | 57 | 3 | 7 | 13 | 27 | 2 | 2 | 2 | 1 |
TABLE XIII.
Causes of Death at seven periods of life, registered in the Whitechapel District for the Three Months ending 27th June, 1857.
| Causes of Death. | 0 and under 1. | 1 and under 5. | 5 and under 20. | 20 and under 40. | 40 and under 60. | 60 and under 80. | 80 and upwards. | Total under 5. | Grand Total. |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Small Pox | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - |
| Measles | 4 | 9 | — | 1 | — | — | — | 13 | 14 |
| Scarlatina | — | 6 | 1 | — | — | — | — | 6 | 7 |
| Hooping Cough | 7 | 15 | - | - | - | - | - | 22 | 22 |
| Croup | — | 2 | - | - | - | - | - | 2 | 2 |
| Diarrhœa | 9 | 1 | — | 1 | 2 | 1 | — | 10 | 14 |
| Dysentery | 1 | - | - | - | - | - | - | 1 | 1 |
| Puerperal Fever | - | - | - | 1 | - | - | - | - | 1 |
| Typhus | — | — | 5 | 3 | 7 | 1 | — | — | 16 |
| Erysipelas | — | — | 1 | — | 1 | 1 | 1 | — | 4 |
| Syphilis | 2 | — | — | 1 | — | — | — | 2 | 3 |
| Rheumatic Fever | — | — | 2 | — | — | — | — | — | 2 |
| Dropsy | — | 2 | — | — | 5 | 5 | — | 2 | 12 |
| Abscess | 1 | 2 | 1 | — | 1 | 1 | — | 3 | 6 |
| Mortification | 1 | — | — | 1 | 1 | — | — | 1 | 3 |
| Cancer | — | — | — | 2 | 3 | 2 | — | — | 7 |
| Scrofula | — | 1 | 1 | — | — | — | — | 1 | 2 |
| Tabes Mesenterica | 15 | 5 | — | — | — | — | — | 20 | 20 |
| Phthisis (or Consumption) | 1 | 5 | 6 | 28 | 29 | 4 | — | 6 | 73 |
| Hydrocephalus | 2 | 8 | 2 | — | — | — | — | 10 | 12 |
| Apoplexy | — | — | — | 1 | 10 | 4 | 1 | — | 16 |
| Paralysis | — | — | — | — | 1 | 1 | — | — | 2 |
| Chorea | - | - | 1 | - | - | - | - | - | 1 |
| Epilepsy | - | - | - | 1 | - | - | - | - | 1 |
| Convulsions | 24 | 3 | - | - | - | - | - | 27 | 27 |
| Disease of Heart | 2 | 2 | 2 | — | — | — | — | 4 | 6 |
| Pericarditis | — | — | 1 | — | — | — | — | — | 1 |
| Disease of Brain | — | 1 | 2 | 2 | 3 | 6 | — | 1 | 14 |
| Aneurism | - | - | - | - | 1 | - | - | - | 1 |
| Laryngitis | 1 | 1 | 1 | — | — | — | — | 2 | 3 |
| Bronchitis | 3 | 5 | 1 | 2 | 7 | 4 | — | 8 | 22 |
| Pleuritis | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — |
| Pneumonia | 17 | 21 | 2 | 2 | 5 | — | — | 38 | 47 |
| Disease of Lungs | — | 2 | — | — | 1 | 1 | — | 2 | 4 |
| Asthma | — | — | — | 1 | 3 | 3 | 1 | — | 8 |
| Teething | 4 | 3 | - | - | - | - | - | 7 | 7 |
| Gastritis | — | 1 | — | — | — | — | — | — | — |
| Total | 94 | 95 | 29 | 48 | 80 | 34 | 3 | 188 | 381 |